October 14 refusal sends Wizards’ D&D and Studio X union effort toward a vote

Wizards of the Coast has declined to voluntarily recognize the Dungeons & Dragons and Studio X workers seeking to join United Wizards of the Coast-CWA. Wargamer reported October 15 that the union announced the decision the previous day, and the company confirmed it.

The two teams announced their organizing effort October 6 and asked management for recognition by October 13. The D&D unit includes D&D Beyond workers; Studio X includes the teams behind tabletop Magic: The Gathering and Duel Masters.

Their demands address both compensation and how creative work is organized. The workers are seeking defined career progression and job security, more accessible healthcare, sustainable workloads, and protections for remote and hybrid work.

The organizers also want enforceable protections against the introduction of generative AI and ownership of the work they create outside their jobs. Those are bargaining goals set out by the union, rather than provisions the company has agreed to.

In a staff email supplied to Wargamer, management said it preferred working directly with employees and believed an election would let eligible staff decide whether they wanted representation. It said the company would respect the result and would not treat employees differently because of their position.

The organizers are following the Magic: The Gathering Arena team’s union effort, which had already won its election. Their statement asks supporters to sign a recognition petition and says collective bargaining would follow recognition.

Wargamer reported that the refusal moves the D&D and Studio X effort toward a secret-ballot election through the National Labor Relations Board.

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